Frequency of Confession in Church History

[drummerboy]

https://www.padreperegrino.org/2024/01/intvoc/

So reading this article got me wondering: how frequently did Catholics throughout different periods in Church history confess their sins?  As the article states, the Desert Father's couldn't go frequently, as most of them were laymen (The Rule of Saint Benedict was written for a monastery of lay monks, not priests). I've also read that in the early Church confession was reserved for major sins such as murder and adultery; priests now would have you almost believing you should go monthly in case you committed mortal sins along the way perchance. And considering the harsh penances imposed by the early medieval Irish priests, I doubt folks were going once a month.  Thoughts or insights anyone?

[Bernadette]

No idea, but also interested.

[Miriam_M]

While I'm no expert on the history of Confession in monastic times, I think drummerboy makes a good point about the practicality of monthly Confession.  We can sometimes err in assuming a sin is venial; at other times, we are truly ignorant (lacked the full knowledge of the gravity), but are clear that our will was fully engaged. 

The sacrament has a healing effect on many levels -- spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually.  We can learn a lot in the confessional -- regarding how we minimize our actions, rationalize them, and hide their effects.

I'm glad that -- at least at the moment, haha -- the sacrament is not reserved to once/year.

[james03]

I think women should got to confession at least weekly.  Poor darlins', 5 minutes out of the confessional and they are already gossiping.  They barely make it to purgatory, and only due to the severe penances and fasts of their husbands done on their behalf.

(Bernadette: It's a joke)

[Michael Wilson]

Historically Confession was seen as and called 'the Second Plank' by Church Fathers, i.e. The way to recover the state of grace lost after the shipwreck of Mortal Sin after baptism. As time went on, the usefulness of frequent Confession for the remission of even Venial sins and an increase in sanctifying grace and the strength not to fall into sin again was realized and put into practice, first in the religious orders, then among the faithful at large.
I cannot find too much on the custom of going to Confession; the practice goes back to the earliest times of the Church; and Tertullian as well as the Shepherd of Hermes mention the practice of Penance. The rule of St. Basil (4th) C. Prescribes for the monks to go to Confession at regular times. And the Catholic Encyclopedia's article on Confession mentions that Confession manuals were very popular in the middle ages.
Pope Pius XII in a radio message in the 1940's stated that the problem of the world was the loss of the sense of the seriousness of Venial Sin. Which in our time has become the loss of the sense of the seriousness of all sin. Unfortunately the practice of frequent preferably Monthly or  more frequent Confession has become very rare among Catholics; but it is highly recommended by all spiritual writers, as the surest means of advancing in virtue.

[Melkor]

Michael that is a good write up sir.

Yeah I was taught growing up to go every month at least. Generally I try for every two weeks. Confession isn't just for mortal sins, it's also an aid for staying in grace and slowly eradicating our faults.

There's actually a funny story I read awhile ago in some book. This young boy was so obsessed with going to confession that he would go every day. Finally the priest told him he didn't need to go that far, and that sacramentals such as holy water also helped in the remedy of faults/venial sins. So this kid just started drinking holy water all the time lol.

[LausTibiChriste]

Fr Ripperger says you can go and "re-confess" old sins, especially if you have nothing mortal to confess.

It's a precept of the Church to go at least once a year. And I'm sure there's a lot of folks out there who can go a year without committing mortal sins. So they're going to need something to confess lol.

[Michael Wilson]

One of the advantages of going to Confession every two weeks, is that it fulfills the requirement of Confession as one of the conditions for gaining a Plenary indulgence, so that one can obtain all the Plenary Indulgences without having to make a new Confession after each new work is performed.

[ChairmanJoeAintMyPrez]

Fr Ripperger says you can go and "re-confess" old sins, especially if you have nothing mortal to confess.

It's a precept of the Church to go at least once a year. And I'm sure there's a lot of folks out there who can go a year without committing mortal sins. So they're going to need something to confess lol.

I remember reading that one of the popes recommended bringing an old mortal sin to every confession just to ensure that one has at least attrition.  I don't remember which pope.  Does this sound familiar to anyone?

[Bernadette]

I remember reading that one of the popes recommended bringing an old mortal sin to every confession just to ensure that one has at least attrition.  I don't remember which pope.  Does this sound familiar to anyone?

I remember reading this, too, but it wasn't from a pope when I read it.